Profile

About: Hi! My name is Mahek and I'm from Flower Mound, TX. I'm a senior studying Electrical and Computer Engineering at UT Austin. Outside of Texas 4000, I am involved in WECE, the Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering Organization, and Camp Kesem. Outside of school, I love to play volleyball, go on drives, and craft. I am beyond excited to be a part of Texas 4000 and embark on this amazing journey to spread hope, knowledge, and charity in the fight against cancer!!

Why I Ride

Technology is a powerful tool; not only is it changing the way people think, but is also creating mass improvements in many different fields. We use technology as a means of investing for the future yet we forget that to invest in the future we must first invest in us. Having lived through a pandemic we have seen what is possible when the human race focuses their energy for the good of humanity. Cancer is a word that carries a thousand meanings. It can break a family apart, remove personalities, and has remained an unsolvable medical mystery for years. The capacity that technology has is astounding and I want to help bring its potential to light, especially in regards to finding an end to cancer.

There is a sense of awareness that I first needed to gain before realizing the need for collective action. My spark started with Nick, one of my neighborhood friends. My old house sat on a cul-de-sac and every day I would see Nick skating and playing basketball with his friends. As the days went by I started seeing him less at school and assumed that he was just hanging out with his friends or at home. Eventually, he stopped coming to school at all. It wasn't until much later that I learned the devastating news - his mother had cancer. t wasn’t until this day that I fully understood the impact that cancer can have. This once happy kid who I would see running around and playing was forced to grow up faster than any child should. It hurt to think about how isolated he must have felt and still to this day, I wish I could have done something to help.

Nick may have been my spark, but I want to continue to pass the torch to Alaska and beyond. I ride, because like Nick, there are many people fighting in this battle alone and I want to make sure they know they are heard. I want to use the mobility I am blessed with to ride for those who have experienced the pain of losing a loved one to cancer, and who may be fighting through this battle alone. And lastly, I ride for my family who is my biggest support system and inspire me every day to become the best and most true version of myself. Their love and inspiration fuels my every pedal stroke, reminding me that I am blessed beyond measure to have them in my life.

Biking to Alaska isn't the ultimate goal - rather it is everything that I am doing in between. I want to spread awareness about cancer prevention and spread hope to those who are fighting through this battle alone. My goal is to raise funds to support cancer treatment, research, and ultimately, the pursuit for a cure.

If cancer has impacted you in any way at all, or you are compelled to share your story with me, I will gladly hear it and ride for you. Please reach out to me at mahek.kakkar@utexas.edu.


To Alaska and back,
Mahek